


Thru The Mirror

by SallowSkies



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brother-Sister Relationships, Build up, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Developing Friendships, Disney References, Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gay Panic, Hurt/Comfort, I added too many tags, Micky Mouse - Freeform, Multi, Nicknames, No Beta, Non-binary character, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Panic Attacks, Phobias, References to Movies/Books, Slow To Update, Trans Female Character, Trauma, no thoughts head empty, original character death, possessive feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25499743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SallowSkies/pseuds/SallowSkies
Summary: (Title inspired by 1936 "Thru The Mirror" from Walt Disney's Micky Mouse.)You ever saw those commercials where people screw up the simplest tasks in the most idiotic fashion ever? Yeah, that's basically what happened here. Nicholas Bolan was not interested in writing more essays in a Harry Potter-ish college when in fact he didn't send an application, to begin with! Also magic appears to be an actual thing or he just hit his head too hard upon arrival.  How can Nicholas cope in a world that isn't his own? How can he get home? Will Twisted Wonderland allow him to go home?
Relationships: Ace Trappola & Original Character(s), Azul Ashengrotto & Jade Leech & Floyd Leech & Original Male Character(s), Azul Ashengrotto & Original Character(s), Cater Diamond & Original Character(s), Deuce Spade & Original Character(s), Dire Crowley & Original Character(s), Divus Crewel/Reader, Epel Felmier & Original Character(s), Floyd Leech & Original Character(s), Grim (Twisted Wonderland) & Original Character(s), Idia Shroud/Original Character(s), Jack Howl&Original Character(s), Jade Leech&Original Character(s), Jamil Viper & Original Character(s), Kalim Al-Asim & Original Character(s), Leona Kingscholar & Original Character(s), Malleus Draconia & Lilia Vanrouge, Malleus Draconia & Original Character(s), Riddle Rosehearts & Original Character(s), Rook Hunt & Original Character(s), Ruggie Bucchi & Original Character(s), Silver & Lilia Vanrouge, Trey Clover & Original Character(s), Vil Schoenheit & Original Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41





	1. When One Door Closes, Another Opens.

**Author's Note:**

> (Alternative chapter title: Embrace For Impact.)

Things were unfamiliar now since Nicholas's grandfather was no longer amongst the living. The news of his passing was difficult for both himself and his sibling, Mari. The feeling became worse when the rest of the extended family had to go through the rest of their grandfather's belongings that weren't willed off to the rest of the family. Nicholas's mother fell into sobs of each object being riffled through and passed around to each relative for a claim. 

Nicholas and Mari had their box of nostalgic treasures filed with books, pictures, and antiques from shelves and display cabinets that held echoes of holidays and engaging entertainment from their many visits.

They divided most of the objects around the room. The dust collected from over the years however lifted into the air from being suddenly moved after being untouched for many years. Slight chatter ensued among the family, but Nathan didn't want to talk about who gets what. He mostly felt frustrated with everyone. How they just invaded a home that some have never even entered before until now and decided, 'Hey, this looks nice. It's mine now'.

Mari blew their nose loudly with the spare tissue inside their pocket before dabbing the corners of their eyes from an unused angle. "Why don't you go look upstairs?" They suggested eyes wet from the dust that had flown into their face instead of melancholy. "Maybe you can find some of Grandfather's taxidermy or those viewing glasses he let us play with." Their eyes drifted towards their mother, whose face was slightly puffy from grief.

Nicholas smiled slightly at his twin, relieved at a distraction. He felt like he was being smothered in the room. "You sure you don't want to come with? You might snatch a pair of suspenders and his smoking pipe." He asked, squeezing Mari's arm slightly as they thumbed through 'James and the Giant Peach'. They shook their head lightly. "Maybe even his pocket watch when you wanted to play trains."

"No," Mari disagreed softly, their short blonde hair swaying slightly. "I will try to see if I can swipe the paperboy hat off of little Elliot." Their gaze drifted over a young blonde cousin who was proudly strutting a pose for Nathan and Mari's older sister. Who was giving a false smile and nodding at the babbling cousin? He couldn't remember.

"Go try to loot through Gramp Gramp's drawers and smuggle some back to me, you butthead."

"I'm not the butthead, you are," Nicholas said, shoving their arm. They just elbowed them back in the side with a huff. "No, you are. Now scram." They chortled.

"As long as you watch my stash," Nicholas whispered, swiftly moving away from the crowd and towards the stairs that led to the second floor. For all he knew, Mari probably was looting off of his box of memories to add to their own as soon as he had left the room. Not that he minded, Nicholas would call them out on it later, even if Mari played the "I'm older than you" card. It was only four minutes.

Nicholas walked across the familiar hallway that led to his grandfather's room. The room itself was exactly how he remembered it: cluttered. It was a joke amongst the close relatives that grandfather was the beginner of a hoarder. The old man had just smiled, amused, and teased back about the small embarrassing habits that other people had. Mari's snorting when they laughed, or Nicholas biting his nails when he got bored, even Nicholas's father who collected soda caps after he finished a drink and puts them god knows where.

The old smell of paper and piped tobacco filled his lungs when Nicholas entered the room fully. The coat rack was barely visible underneath all the fabric that got thrown on. The writing desk had papers strewn about across the surface with pens and quills resting in the far left corner. Alongside the wax and seal set. The fringe lamp was still beside the bed on the nightstand. It still had books stacked underneath it. Nicholas recognized the covers of fictional fairy tales.  
Nicholas felt sentimental staring at it and ran his finger down the base of the spines that had the titles engraved into it. That however moved aside as he saw the old oak wardrobe with the gramophone set up next to it.

Nicholas paused as he stared at it. This was something he had never opened ever since he discovered it as a toddler. It was one of the stricter rules that his Grandfather had told Nicholas once he found his younger self reaching the round handle out of curiosity to see what was inside.

"Listen to me, Nick," His grandfather had told him, eyes crinkling behind wire glasses. "It's all right to be curious. I'm not upset with you for that, but the wardrobe is off-limits for a reason."

"But why?" Nicholas's younger self asked, confused, hearing giggling from downstairs. "Is it something bad?" He stuck his thumb in his mouth

"No, Nicky, it's a piece of myself that I can't go back to." His grandfather answered, picking him up. "Now let's get you back to your brothers."

"What is inside that you wouldn't let me see?" Ideas popped up quickly inside his head. Something valuable, memories of Gran-Gran, maybe a dress because he was secretly a drag queen. Nicholas let out a snort before pondering. A piece that's lost. Maybe he was part of the military? 

Nicholas approached the wardrobe cautiously. It felt ridiculous to be weary of old wood that creaked, but he couldn't help it. How else was he supposed to handle this situation? He would break a vow. A promise he had kept to a loved relative for years.

He reached out and gripped the doorknob with a firm grasp before flinging it open. The wood creaked and groaned at the harsh treatment.

The inside filled him with a sudden drop of disappointment. It had with clothes inside. He should have known better than to think otherwise. Nicholas always knew that it was an outcome and his Grandfather just didn't want a nosy child to poke their head into a piece of furniture which was not their own, but still. Really? All those cryptic responses and deflected begging led to this?

From what he could see in the front, there weren't any military uniforms. Maybe it was further back? There had to be something more than this! There had to be!

Nicholas moved some clothes aside, so that there was more room for him to wiggle in. Dust flew everywhere as soon as movement touched them. Into his eyes, up his nose, covering his fingertips. He wiped them on his funeral pants as he ventured further. He found something that resembled a uniform, but the color looked faded and it looked more like a costume? Maybe his Grandfather was into cosplay?

The very back of the wardrobe however piqued his interest. It was an old antique mirror that stood on its own. It was more oval than circular and stretched to be about as tall as him, taller even. It barely hit the roof of the walking wardrobe. It looked vintage with the black frame and golden criss-cross patterns down the sides. 

He touched the dust cover surface with his palm and wiped the layer off, making a face in disgust as it clung to his hand. A full body length mirror? Hidden in the back of a wardrobe? He scanned it from bottom to top again, noticing that at the top where the black frame arched in a filled in half circle there was a keyhole design.

Was it a brand symbol? Something made for fun? Or was it like one of those medicine cabinets that opened to have storage inside like a fake display book? He didn't have time to think about it fully or get out of the wardrobe to find the key when the wardrobe door slammed shut with a loud bang.

Nicholas felt like he couldn't breathe as the darkness settled all around him. "Hey!" He yelled, shoving articles of clothing away from his face as he blundered towards the wardrobe's door. "Let me out! Mari, if this a prank it isn't funny!" Nicholas pounded on the door furiously. "Mari! Lillian!" He reached for where the handle would be, except there wasn't one. It had opened so easily on the outside, so it had nothing to do with the age of the wood. Someone was keeping him inside.

His breath was coming out in brief gasps. Nicholas frantically tried to remember what to do when he had an attack like this. With each tense breath, he forced himself not to hyperventilate on the air. All that could lead to was more terror and the possibility of injury. 

Everything was fine, he tried to assure himself as he took a step back away from the door. Stop panicking, just focus on breathing, one in through the nose and out through the mouth. Repeat in and out. Nicholas could feel every beat of his heart pounding as he felt knelt onto the wooden floor, curling inwards on himself. His mind felt fuzzy and his ears were ringing slightly as he leaned towards the mirror. 

Nicholas could hear something pounding close in the distance, but the sound of his pulse made it to faint to hear.

____  
Ah...  
My dear beloved...

who?

Nicholas felt himself resurface from the back of his mind as a voice echoed. Someone was speaking, but he didn't know who. No one in his family had a voice similar to that. His eyelids still felt heavy as he struggled to open them. It was still dark in front of him.

A lovely and noble flower of evil...

Truly, you are the most beautiful of them all...

He stretched his arms out in the darkness as the voice continued to speak. Was he still in the wardrobe? Nicholas couldn't feel anything against his fingers as he continually stepped forward into the dark.

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

Who is the cruelest of them all?

Light suddenly flooded from behind him in a sudden flash. Nicholas jolted with a quick intake of breath. He turned and saw his grandfather's old mirror that got shoved in the back of the closet. Was he having a lucid dream? The reflective surface was glowing brightly.

Those who are guided by the dark mirror...

As long as your heart desires...

Nicholas winced and used one hand to shield his eyes as he moved directly towards it. There appeared to be a shadowy silhouette in the mirror. A slight flicker of poignancy entered his heart. "Gramps?" He whispered hesitantly before shaking his head. This person had the wrong physique to be his dead relative.

Take the hand that appears in the mirror...

The mirror waved and rippled as a hand stretched through, reaching forwards towards Nicholas. Beckoning for him to take it. He stared at the glove clad hand for a moment. If he took it where would he go? It would be better than the black abyss he was in. Nicholas lifted his other hand.

Come, now... Show me your power...

We only have a little bit of time left...

He grabbed the other's hand, feeling the fingers tighten around his own almost in affirmation that Nicholas was there and he would not slip away.

No matter what, don't let go of my hand...

He suddenly felt himself being tugged towards the mirror and into the light. Nicholas shut his eyes as he felt the mirrors barrier slide past his skin like smooth rubber. The hand squeezed his as he felt his consciousness glide swiftly away.

___

Nicholas woke up with a fogged mind and irritated mood from the sound of rattling echoing from all around him. In addition, with struggled grunts that sounded completely frustrated and fed up as a sudden bang resounded, making him jolt into full wakefulness. It resulted in Nicholas smacking his head against a hard surface. He reached to touch the sore spot of the inflicted damage with his hand. His elbow bumped into some sort of surface in front of him. 

"Crap." A muffled high pitch voice emitted from the other side. "People are coming, gotta get a uniform while..." More banging and thuds ensued on the outside. 

Nicholas's breath caught as he finally realized what he was in. He was standing upright in a coffin and there was someone outside of it. He moved his hands around the plushy walls, encompassing him to and gave each one a violent shove to see if one wall would loosen. 

"Hey!" Nicholas yelled, fear settling in. "Can you hear me!" He yelled, fists banging at the cushioned wall in front of him. "Let me out! I can't breathe in here!" He kicked and thrashed at the compact space that held him.

"Grrr! The lid is too heavy!" The voice snarled, aggravated, as the rattling paused momentarily. Despair filled Nicholas in a sudden wave as the overwhelming of the space enclosing around him continued. 

"Time for ... my secret move!" The voice yelled.

The secret what now?! Hope and anxiety shot through Nicholas as he pressed himself as far back as he could in such a compact space. Breath labored. He couldn't hear anything, but the surrounding air was becoming stuffy. He could smell something burning..

"What are you doing out there!?" Nicholas yelled, panicked, as he lifted his knees slightly and kicked harshly and the front fell off its hinges.

"Guwahuuh~" The voice cheered triumphantly as it fell onto the ground with a clang. "There! I did it!"

Nicholas blinked rapidly as light flooded his vision. 

"Ok, ok, gotta get... AHHHH WHY ARE YOU AWAKE!?"

Nicholas gaped back in shock at what he was looking at. It looked like a floating cat or a racoon, maybe a squirrel? With blue flames sprouting from its ears and a striped ribbon wrapped tied in a bow around its neck. The creature didn't seem to be in the best condition with mangy fur with small sticks stuck to it. It looked at him in surprise, forked tail straightened in shock, not expecting Nicholas to be awake. Didn't it know that he was shouting in there? Kicking and screaming to get out?

"WHY ARE YOU UP!?" It shrieked, causing Nicholas winced at the volume as he got out of the box. He looked behind him briefly to see what exactly it was he was in. It was a floating coffin. Coffins don't float! And he was in one! Nicholas swallowed, unsettled. He turned his attention back to the screeching creature.

"Why d'you try to burn me alive?" Nicholas asked sharply. "What are you? Where am I" He demanded the... creature?

The creature hissed at him, eyes flattening against its head. "I am not a what!" It snapped, crossing its front paws. 

Oh, witty bitty jellybean toes. A small voice in the back of Nicholas's head cooed.

"I am the Great Grim!" It boasted pridefully with a smirk. Nicholas just stared at him in disbelief. The creature sounded conceited and smug with itself. "Teh, whatever." The cat snapped, impatiently. "Hey, human! Since you don't know where you are, give me your uniform!"

Eh? Uniform?

"Uniform?" Nicholas parroted back, looking down at himself. The funeral tuxedo he had worn earlier had disappeared, replaced with a long black robe that just brushed the floor. The lapels were purple and had golden thread woven into patterns similar around the edges. Oh, he had a hood? Neat.

"If not... I'LL ROAST YA!" Grim threatened, its small paws lighting up with the same blue fire in its ears. 

"I'm dreaming about getting roasted by a rabid squirrel." Nicholas babbled, alarmed. Grim glared at him, affronted.

"I'm not a freaking racoon!" Grim shouted, whipping one of its fireballs at Nicholas's head. He squawked and ducked, feeling the heat pass over his head and into the coffin behind him.

"You could have killed me!" Nicholas yelled in disbelief. Grim only let out a hysterical laugh. 

"If ya don't Wanna get hurt, give me the uniform!" It yelled, flying straight for his face.

Nicholas yelped, lunging to the right so that Grim would smack its face into the coffin frame. It let out a pained yowl at the sudden impact. Not wanting to stick around any longer, he ran for the door that was just ahead, behind the rest of the empty, floating coffins and into the hall.

"OI! WHERE D'YA GO!" Grim yelled, its paws holding covering its red nose with an indignant look on its face. That was the only closed coffin in the room! Grim would not blow his chance to get into the college. That boy would not get away that easily with the uniform without a fight! "NYA-HAH!" He yelled triumphantly, eyeing the open door he had snuck into earlier. Grim darted out from the room and into the hallway in quick pursuit.

___

Nicholas felt like he was his legs would fall off as he slammed open another pair of doors to hide from the feral creature. He definitely needed to work on his cardio, but that was a problem since he hated exercising. He looked around the room he was in, it appeared to be a library and it had a huge 'Harry Potter' vibes. It was well lit and large with books moving around the air and onto shelves. 

"Okay, I'm ready to wake up now." He muttered to himself as he grabbed his face and tugged harshly. That hurt and he was still here! Nicholas didn't have time to panic about his new predicament as a sinister high-pitched laugh echoed throughout the room. The racoon had caught up with him! He whirled around to see Grim floating in the middle of the entrance. 

" Did you really think you'd get away from my nose?" Grim mocked. Blue fire lit up behind Nicholas, causing all routes of escape to become blocked. "Dumb human!"

"Leave me alone, you damn fur ball!" Nicholas yelled, fed up the creature's taunts and insults. 

The creature glared at him and placed its paws on its hips with a determined look. "Listen here," It demanded, flying closer to Nicholas's face causing him to lean away with the heat becoming worse on the back of his neck. "If ya don't wanna get turned into fried tuna, better hand over-ACK!"

"BUWAH?!" Grim let out a shout of surprise and hit the floor harshly with a thud. "eow- Whats with this rope?" The cat floated back up fuming, its body tied up with a strange wire. It tried to squirm itself out of the bind they were in the distraction led to flames all around Nicholas going out because of the recent problem.

"This is no mere rope." A fresh voice announced. "It is the whip of love!" 

Nicholas choked slightly at the name. Don't laugh, don't laugh. Mind out of gutter Nicholas Bolan. He directed his attention to the person holding the end of the, uh, 'Whip of love'. 

The newcomer's outfit seemed to have a similar style to the uniform Nicholas was wearing. Except it was a three piece suit with a feathered cape and top hat that had attached a pin in it. It looked like a mirror with three keys. What really caught Nicholas's attention was the mask that the stranger was wearing. It complimented the bird theme with its long hooked nose. The eyes however were yellow? Was it a trick of the light or were they seriously, naturally yellow?

The man seemed to turn his attention right at Nicholas, looking slightly relieved. "Ah found you at last. Are you one of the new students?" He asked, tightening his grip on the whip that held the fidgeting Grim.

Ah, Student? Nicholas looked down at himself quickly. Right. The uniform! This man could answer where he is! Nicholas opened his mouth to ask but immediately got cut off.

"You shouldn't do things like that." The man suddenly scolded him, causing Nicholas to blink in surprise. "Leaving the room on your own, I cannot fathom how you got out of the carrier without help."

"Uh, well you see-" Nicholas tried to explain, eyes darting to Grim who was fruitlessly struggling and hissing angrily. The man seemed to get the wrong idea when he also looked at the aggressive creature..

"Not only that, you have yet to tame your familiar, which has broken several school rules." The man chastised, crossing his arms, displeased. 

Familiar? That beast?! Hell no! "Sir, that- fur ball!" Nicholas protested, Grim seemed to agree with him and interrupted his statement. 

"Let me go! I'm not his freakin' familiar!" Grim yowled, peeved.

"Fur ball? Now that's not a very original name for a familiar." The man hummed, misunderstanding Nicholas's insult for a name before turning back to the screeching captive. "Sure, sure. The rebellious ones always say things like that. Just quiet down for a moment, Fur ball." The man wrung Grim up like a yo-yo and pressed another line of the 'Whip of Love' across Grim's mouth.

"MMMMMMGHMMMM!" 

"My goodness," The man sighed, attention back Nicholas who stiffened under the attention. "It's unprecedented for a new student to take off like that. Ugh... impatient can you be?"

Nicholas wanted to scream. He wasn't a student! It didn't matter if he was wearing this ridiculous robe! He had graduated from school years ago! Where is he, what happened to his twin, Mari and older sister Lillian!

"The entrance ceremony," The man continued, breaking Nicholas from his downward spiral. "Is already well underway. Let's head to the Hall of Mirrors."

"Mirror?" Nicholas questioned, rushing after the feathered man who had Grim dragging along behind him, grumbling. "I thought there was a sorting hat?"

The man's lips curled into an amused smile. "No, 'fraid not." 

"Ah. Wait, Just a second!" Nicholas exclaimed, pausing in the middle of the hall. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"Oya?" The man said, looking at him confused. "What's this? Are you still dazed? It appears the teleportation magic has left you disorientated and pale... Well, it is fine. It happens often enough." He waved it off. "I shall give you an explanation on our way there. For I am gracious."

Nicholas frowned at the man, irritated. This guy's nonchalant attitude was ticking him off. "Gracious my ass." He grumbled.

"Ahem." The man cleared his throat. "This is the Night Raven College. Those Magicians blessed with a unique skill for magic gather from all over the world, here at the most prestigious magical academy in Twisted Wonderland."

Twisted Wonderland? Wonderland? Like Alice in Wonderland? Nicholas stared at the man baffled. Was he still dreaming? 

"And I am the headmaster, appointed to take care of this academy by the board chairmen, Dire Crowley." Crowley introduced.

"Crawly?" Nicholas tried repeating.

"Crowley."

"Crawley."

"Crowley."

"You are doing this on purpose now, aren't you?" Crowley sighed.

"Yes." Nicholas agreed, not bothering to deny it. "Also, you said Magician? Not a wizard?"

Crowley had the gall to look offended. "The difference between Magician and Wizard when used are the nouns. Magician means a person who plays with or practices allegedly supernatural magic, whereas wizard means someone, usually male, who uses magic, mystic items, and magical and mystical practices." He explained. " Only those magicians are seen as worthy by the Dark Mirror can attend this school. Chosen one's get summoned and brought by an ebony carriage carrying the carrier to the college. A carriage must've picked you up, do you remember that?"

Nicholas shook his head. There was no carriage, and he didn't remember being stuffed into a coffin until he woke up. "I didn't open the door though, Mister Crowley. It came off because of fire-"

"The familiar seems at fault for most of the ruckus caused. You really need to watch over and take responsibility.."

"Sir, he's not-"

"MUGHHHHHMMM MUGAHHHH!" Muffled screaming caught Nicholas's attention and Crowley's. The headmaster did not seem all that concerned about it though.

"Come, young man," Crowley said, placing a hand on Nicholas's shoulder to guide him along. "Let's go to the entrance ceremony. "

"My name is Nicholas Bolan, sir."

"Nicklelace Baloon."

"Really."


	2. Too Hot, Hot Damn!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Alternative title: It smells like Barbeque!)  
> The Entrance ceremony ends like a train wreck: it crashed and burned quite literally and figuratively. Nicholas lost part of his ceremony attire, helped a student, and raised interest with multiple students.  
> Someone help the poor lad before he actually busts a vein.

"Is that all for the new student dorm assignments?" Riddle Rosehearts asked, scanning the new first years of the Heartslabyul dorm. "Listen up new students. Here in Heartslabyul, I am the rules. Break them and there will be consequences to your actions. Do I make myself clear?" He demanded eyes narrowed. It wasn't a threat, it was a promise. He didn't tolerate troublemakers. Some students shivered under the icy stare.

"The stuffy ceremony is finally over." Leona Kingscholar yawned, blinking less out of exhaustion and more out of boredom. "We're going back to the dorm. Savanaclaws, follow me." He motioned lazily.

Azul Ashengrotto pushed his glasses up his nose as he greeted the first years cheerfully. " To the new students, congratulations on entering this academy." He applauded lightly. "Enjoy your life here to the fullest." The nervousness around the Octavinelle freshmen broke into excited jitters amongst themselves. Azul's smile just widened even further. "As the prefect of the Octavinelle dorm don't be afraid to ask questions if you're unsure about anything at all. My job is to help poor unfortunate souls."

"Azul," Vil Schoenheit interrupted. "Do you know where the headmaster went? He bolted right out in the middle of the ceremony." He placed a piece of hair back behind his ear.

'Abandoning his post seems to be just like him." The floating tablet agreed, disdained. "Does he ever take his job seriously? He always dumps his troubles on us when he doesn't want to deal with it." Idia Shroud murmured.

"Maybe he got sick?" Kalim Al-Asim asked, concerned. "A stomach bug? I've would've run like that too if I didn't feel well."

"You'd run like that anyway at any time if you had to study." Jamil Viper quipped.

"NOT AT ALL!" Crowley announced loudly as he threw open the entrance ceremony doors with a bang.

"Ah," Riddle deadpanned. "There he is. Arriving at the last minute." As usual.

"The betrayal I feel from all of you!" Crowley cried. "I cannot believe you all. I never get sick! We were missing one new student so I went to find them! How is that shirking my duties as your gracious headmaster! Shame on all of you!" He placed a hand on his chest offended while the other which was enclosed around the 'Whip of Love' shook around with a furry thing attached to the end of it struggling to free itself.

The boy behind the headmaster just buried their face in the palms of their hands in embarrassment. Leona could pick up muffle screaming from him at the headmaster's dramatic theatrics.

"Ah~" Kalim sighed in pity watching the lost students' reaction. "Looks like he got dragged along with the headmaster's antics.

" "Now," Crowley said, clapping a free hand on the boy's shoulder causing his head to shoot up from his hands. "You are the only one yet to be assigned a dormitory. I shall watch over the raccoon, step in front of the dark mirror."

Azul watched as the boy seemed to hesitate his head looking at the 'Racoon' who seemed to be screamed from its binds before stiffly walking up the steps towards the Dark Mirror. Just like before, for the rest of the students, the mask appeared from within the green flames.

"State thy name." The Dark Mirror demanded, analyzing the boy.

The boy seemed to hesitate for a moment."Oh, uh, Nicholas Bolan." He introduced, shifting nervously.

"Nicholas Bolan." The Dark Mirror repeated. "The shape of thy soul is..." It paused, looking surprised before returning to a natural blank stare."I do not know."

Azul blinked in surprise, the crowd became a buzz with whispers and words of confusion. Nicholas turned to the headmaster looking uncertain on what he should do next. 

"Then what is he doing here?" A new Heartslabyul student whispered, the spade makeup on his face creasing in confusion. Trey Clover just shook his head at the question looking as bewildered as everyone else.

The headmaster had his arms crossed, frowning. "Come again?" He asked the mirror.

"I sense some magic that seems to be passed down from generations yet I cannot sense the color, the shape, the spark is faint but there is nothing I can sense." The Dark Mirror explained. "Therefore, they are suited for no dormitory."

Riddle refrained himself from wanting to walk up to the Dark Mirror himself and shake it until it spat out the answer that everyone wanted to know. Why was Nicholas Bolan here then?

The mask disappeared into the darkness leaving Crowley to erupt in disbelief."An Ebony Carriage would never go to meet someone who never used magic! Or not have any at all!" 

The boy seemed to be taken aback by the outcry. "In one hundred years there has not once been a mistake in student selection," Crowley said, placing a hand on his chin. "So why in the world..."

"PAH!" A high pitched gasp exclaimed. Riddle frowned, displeased, there was a cat here and it had escaped the 'Whip of Love'!"Then I'll take that runts place!" The cat declared, swooping through the air claws extended for Nicholas's face.

"Who are you calling 'runt' you little shit!?" Nicholas snapped, ducking. "Your shorter and scrawnier than me!"

"Oh," Carter grinned, raising his phone higher in the air. "This will definitely entertain my followers." 

"This is not the time for that!" Riddle hissed. "Put that ridiculous thing away!"

"Stay right there, Racoon!" Crowley yelled, watching the troublesome creature shove at Nicholas's back causing the young man to let out a surprised yell and tumbled down the podium steps and into the crowd of students in a tumble of fabric and swearing.

Kalim had immediately rushed forward to help Nicholas up. "You okay? Does anything feel broken?" Grey eye's met Kalim's before Nicholas shook his head, blonde hair wild from being underneath the hood and the sudden assault. 

"I'm feeling fine, thanks," Nicholas said, before glaring at the cat monster who was smugly looking down its nose at all of them like they were the scum underneath its paw.

"Unlike that dumb human, I can use magic!" It crowed pridefully. "Let me in to the school instead! If you need proof, I'll show you just how great I am!" 

The blue fire in its ears flared brightly as it raised the tiny paws in the air towards the sea of students. Oh, this little rule-breaker! "Everyone, get down!" Riddle yelled, watching the cat's paws light up.

"NYAAAAH!" The cat yelled, fire shooting out and into the crowd.

"Look out!" Kalim heard Nicholas yell over the shouts and screams of panicking students. Kalim let out a shout of surprise as he was tackled down onto his back being shielded by the other."Sorry!" 

He heard Nicholas apologize, immediately getting off of Kalim."It's fine, you saved my life after all," Kalim said, grinning. "You're a true hero!"

Nicholas just snorted.

"WAHHH!" Another student screamed. "My ass is on fire!" 

"At this rate, the school will be a sea of fire!" The headmaster yelled, watching on the onslaught of fire get worse. "Somebody catch that raccoon!"

"Come here, you stupid creature!" Nicholas yelled, jumping up to grab its forked tail.

"I'm not stupid!" The raccoon spat, floating away from Nicholas's grasp. "I am the Great Grim!"

"What's so 'Great' about you!?" Nicholas snapped, taking off one of his shoes and chucking it at Grim's face.

"Give me the uniform!" Grim hissed, paws ablaze, as it dodged the attack. The shoe flew into the sea of panicking children to be lost forever.

"It won't even fit you!" Nicholas pointed out, getting fed up with the creature's behavior, hopping as he took off the other shoe and waved it at Grim threateningly.

"It looks better on me anyway, you non-magic spawn!" Grim hissed back scornful. Nicholas threw the other shoe at him out of spite. 

"You want the uniform so bad?" Nicholas taunted, "Come and get it then you flea-infested furball!" Before running out of the chamber he just came in with Grim hot on his trail, screaming in enrage behind him.

The room, however, was left in chaotic aftermath as the first years screamed and clung to each other desperately to avoid the firey leftovers. Second years and seniors worked either with other dorm students to put out the fires or help round up and calm distressed students who begged to go home. 

"Che!" Leona huffed, tail flicking irritatedly. "Suck ups."

"Mmm?" Vil hummed, amused. "Aren't you good at hunting? Didn't seem like a nice tasty snack?"

"Why me?" Leona asked, disinterested. "Do it yourself if you're so willing." Shooting the suggestion back with no hesitation. 

"Headmaster," Azul piped up with a smile. "Please leave it to me. I'm sure the others couldn't stomach harassing the poor creature, so I will take it upon myself." He looked back at the others with a cunning grin. Leona growled in annoyance at the expression. 

"That's Azul for you." Idia's voice echoed the sentiment from the floating tablet. "Always trying to earn brownie points for himself."

"Stop moving!" Kalim yelled, pointing his gem at the student who got struck with fire in an unfortunate place. "I'm trying to put out your fire covered butt!" Water had splattered over the wall and floor causing other students to slip and fall into each other.

"Are you all even listening!?" Crowley yelled, having watched enough chaos being brought by the students themselves. 

"If it's just catching some stupid raccoon, can't you do it yourself teach." Leona yawned.

"Useless utterly useless." Riddle hissed, under his breath as he tried to establish order to Heartslabyul.

"The creature certainly has moxie," Azul admitted, turning to Riddle who looked slightly red-faced. "Care to help me, Riddle?"

"I can't overlook those who break rules," Riddle responded looking displeased. "Let's hurry up and get this over with."

___

Nicholas was ready to run as soon as Crowley had slammed open the doors with a flourish and started reprimanding the other students. Nicholas didn't hear anything behind the doors originally but Crowley did... Somehow? However, the melodramatic behavior grew a bit too much for his liking. It felt like one of those loud relatives who attracted to much attention in public. So Nicholas did what he always did to avoid public stares: made like an ostrich and shoved his face into his palms until the whole thing blew over. However, the headmaster seemed truly upset that his 'graciousness' was not being respected. Nicholas could the built-up stress from earlier start to whistle out.

"Now," Crowley said, clapping a free hand on Nicholas's shoulder, causing his head to shoot up from his hands. "You are the only one yet to be assigned a dormitory. I shall watch over the raccoon, step in front of the dark mirror."

"MGHMMM." Grim protested, tail moving swiftly in anger at being called a raccoon. How about, no. The stupid rabid squirrel could go to the mirror not him! 

Nicholas's chest was tightening like in high school when he had to in front of the class to present his 'group' project where he did all the work! He didn't want to be here! 

His legs, however, moved automatically to the podium. He didn't know why he moved if it was driven by social anxiety or a small sliver of excitement that he might be able to learn about magic. Nicholas looked at the already selected students from the corner of his eye. There were a lot of people who had their hair dyed from what he could see from under the hoods. They were also staring at him expectantly, he was ready to go home now!

Nothing to see!

He looked at the Dark Mirror, it was oddly familiar?

The inside of the Dark Mirror burst into green flames, a masked floated right in front of him. It didn't have any eyes but it felt like it was staring Nicholas down and judging him.

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

It resembled the mirror from snow white! Maybe not the exact thing but it was similar in shape!

"State thy name." The Dark Mirror demanded, bringing Nicholas out of his shock.

"Oh, uh, Nicholas Bolan." He introduced, fidgeting with his balance from foot to foot.

"Nicholas Bolan." The Dark Mirror repeated. "The shape of thy soul is..." It paused, looking briefly mystified before returning to a natural blank stare."I do not know."

Oh shit.

Nicholas immediately whipped his head around to look a Crowley anxiously. The headmaster had his arms crossed, frowning. "Come again?" He asked the mirror.

"I sense some magic that seems to be passed down from generations yet I cannot sense the color, the shape, the spark is faint but there is nothing I can sense." The Dark Mirror explained, causing the pit in Nicholas's stomach to deepen. "Therefore, they are suited for no dormitory."

Ah, tits. It got worse.

The crowd started to whisper in confusion. A student with magic but not suited for a dormitory? How completely on unheard of! Nicholas stared at his feet, embarrassed. So basically he wasn't just a muggle but a squib. Was this a joke that his mind was trying to make up to try and cope with the passing of his grandfather? By making up a magical world that he wasn't suited for? The mask disappeared into the darkness leaving Crowley to erupt in disbelief.

"An Ebony Carriage would never go to meet someone who never used magic! Or not have any at all!"

Nicholas flinched at the outburst, it wasn't his fault! He didn't even know he had some sort of magic until now! He was in the middle of having a panic attack before he got whisked away!"In one hundred years there has not once been a mistake in student selection," Crowley said, placing a hand on his chin. "So why in the world..."

"Mghmm!" Grim grunted as it began sliding out of the bond, the fur wilder than before. "PAH!" It spat, rubbing its mouth with its paws to soothe the chafed area. "Then I'll take that runts place!" The cat declared, aggrieved, flying straight at Nicholas's head.

"Who are you calling 'runt' you little shit!?" Nicholas snapped, ducking. "Your shorter and scrawnier than me!"

"Stay right there! Racoon!" Crowley yelled, watching the troublesome creature shove at Nicholas's back causing the young man to let out a surprised yell and tumbled down the podium steps and into the crowd of students in a flurry of insults and cursing.

Nicholas hit the ground with a loud thud. He could hear students around him make a sound of pained sympathy upon the impact.

His back and side ached from the fall and he let out a pained grunt as he shifted to try and peel himself off the floor. Nicholas felt someone's hands help him off the ground.

"You okay? Does anything feel broken?" The owner's voice of the hands asked as Nicholas regained his footing. His hood was knocked off and Nicholas's eyes locked with his helpers. They looked like colored contacts that cosplayers used to achieve a certain look for fictional characters. They were a rich shade of tangerine. 

"I'm feeling fine, thanks," Nicholas said looking away quickly, glaring at the cat monster floating above who was smugly looking down its nose at all of them like they were the scum underneath its paw.

"Unlike that dumb human, I can use magic!" It crowed pridefully. "Let me in to the school instead! If you need proof, I'll show you just how great I am!"

The blue fire in its ears flared brightly as it raised the tiny paws in the air towards the sea of students. "Everyone, get down!" A voice rang out loudly as the cat's paws lit up.

"NYAAAAH!" The cat yelled, fire shooting out and into the crowd.

The inferno shot out like a comet at students aimlessly, cries of distress echoed throughout the room as students tried to hide behind one another as others cast spells to deflect the attack. Nicholas impulsively shoved the white-haired boy who was distracted by the rush of scattering classmates who helped him earlier to the floor as a wave of fire blasted towards him.

"Look out!" Nicholas cried, tackling the other to the floor as heat skimmed over his back. Of course, he realized the strange position he had put himself and the other in despite the fact Nicholas was only trying to shield him from the attack it looked strange. "Sorry!" An apology immediately spouted from Nicholas's lips, face burning as he scrambled off him. 

The white-haired boy only laughed. "It's fine, you saved my life after all," He said, grinning like he wasn't a step away from being burnt alive. "You're a true hero!"

Nicholas just snorted a light feeling fluttering in his chest at the optimism of the other before it died by another's students misfortune of being hit by the flame that Nicholas tried to avoid.

"WAHHH!" Another student screamed. "My ass is on fire!" 

oops.

"At this rate, the school will be a sea of fire!" The headmaster yelled, watching on the onslaught of fire get worse. "Somebody catch that raccoon!"

"Come here, you stupid creature!" Nicholas yelled, jumping up to grab its forked tail.

"I'm not stupid!" The raccoon spat, floating away from Nicholas's grasp. "I am the Great Grim!"

"What's so 'Great' about you!?" Nicholas snapped, taking off one of his shoes and chucking it at Grim's face.

"Give me the uniform!" Grim hissed, paws ablaze, as it dodged the attack. The shoe flew into the sea of panicking children to be lost forever.

"It won't even fit you!" Nicholas pointed out, getting fed up with the creature's behavior, hopping as he took off the other shoe and waved it at Grim threateningly.

"It look better on me anyway, you non-magic spawn!" Grim hissed back scornful. Nicholas threw the other shoe at him out of spite.

"You want the uniform so bad?" Nicholas taunted, "Come and get it then you flea-infested furball!" Before running out of the chamber he just came in with Grim hot on his trail, screaming in rage behind him.

"I, The Great Grim will become the greatest magician ever!" Grim announced tossing a ball of fire at Nicholas's socked feet.

"More like the greatest pain in the ass!" Nicholas shot back, feeling the heat singed the heels of his socks. Heaving out another breath, he dashed further down the hallway. He had no idea where he was going, he was just going where his feet moved him. Which was stepping on his cloak and sliding to the floor. "Oh, balls!" Nicholas cursed, forcing himself up onto his knees to run again only to scream in pain as pain flared up in his hand. The little shit had burned him! Nicholas glared at Grim eyes slightly watery due to the abuse his hand had received. 

"Hehehe." Grim cackled, another flame poised and ready in his paw. "I'm going to roast you alive for mocking the greatest magician!"

"It's still not going to be you!" Nicholas yelled facing Grim, holding his injured hand to his chest as he got to his feet trembling in pain and anger.

"Why you-!"

"Off with your head!" A familiar voice yelled from behind Grim cutting of the raccoons sputtering.

Off with your head? Isn't that something the 'Queen of Hearts' used to say whenever she lost her shit? Nicholas wondered as a flash of white light filled momentarily the hallway.

"Nygah!" Grim yelled in surprise, there was a sudden tightness and weight around his neck. "The heck is this!?" It was some sort of heart shape shackle split into two colors down the middle.

"Rule number twenty-eight of the Queen of Hearts," The same voice recited, causing Nicholas and to squint at the two students behind Grim. "One shall never bring a cat into a festival."The boy speaking seemed to be a student from the Dark Mirror room as well as the other student since they were both wearing the same uniform Nicholas was. Their hoods were still up but Nicholas could make out red hair framing sharp silver eyes. 

"You being a cat means you've broken the rules. I shall have you leave at once." The redhead announced, Grim hissed in reproach.

"I'm not a cat!" Grim snapped, irritated. "I'll burn this collar right up-Eh!?" He let out a shout of confusion as a faint spark of fire lit up momentarily only to dissolve. "I can't use my fire!"His face went from cocky to fearful as Grim suddenly stopped floating and dropped onto the ground like a cement ballon.

The redhead put a hand around the collar, a smug smile grew on his face as he lifted the defenseless Grim off the floor. "Hmmph! You won't be using any magic until I remove the collar. Just like an ordinary cat."

"Wh-what!" Grim yowled, offended as he continued to squirm for an escape. "I'm not some pet!" He tried to reach and scratch at the redheads face however he couldn't reach while being kept at an arm's length.

The redhead frowned in disgust at the response. "Don't worry, I'd never keep a pet like you. I'll take it off once you get thrown out."

"Wow," The boy right beside the redhead complimented, "as wonderful as ever. Any magic gets sealed by your Unique Magic, Riddle." There was heather purple color sticking out of the hood of the other, the eyes were the same color and were framed with wired glasses. There was a small beauty mark right below his lower lip. "I wouldn't even want that cast on me." He wanted it for himself.

"Okay," Nicholas interrupted, waving his hands in the air, wincing slightly from his wounded hand. "time out. Thank you for helping catch the little beast-" Grim spat at him "-but what just happened. Who are you two?" 

The one with glasses smiled lightly. "That was Riddle's Unique magic 'Off With Your Head' it temporarily blocks magic from any magician until it gets removed from the caster itself." He motioned with an arm to his companion who was trying to keep themselves from getting clawed at. "This is Riddle Rosehearts, Prefect of Heartslaybul dorm. I am Azul Ashengrotto, Prefect of Octavinelle." Azul said, watching Nicholas closely. Riddle glared at Azul.

He could introduce himself just fine without help from the teacher's pet.

"Your name literally means blue," Nicholas said staring at them. The adrenaline high that he felt earlier was starting to crash, which meant his body ached, his lungs strained, back stung, and hand pulsed painfully.

Riddle was also strangely quiet while looking at the troublesome first year. It was a bit strange since the Heartslaybul prefect would be going off about the rules being broken and would threaten in a very displeased manner.

Azul blinked, clearly not expecting that sort of response. " Well- yes." No questions about his magic. The first year had just zeroed in on his name and said 'hey your name means blue'. Azul gave Nicholas a full body once over. Wild blonde hair, grey eyes, flushed face, a bit taller than Riddle. The ceremony robe didn't fit the other very well and it appeared his hand had gotten injured in the fight from the way it was being held protectively towards his chest.

"Did you get burn-" Azul's concerned question was cut off by a startled yowled and flash of feathers swooping in, in front of Nicholas. 

Crowley was standing in front of Nicholas swinging Grim in front of the boy's face. He must've snatched the cat out of Riddle's hold.

"You must do something about this!" Crowley demanded, not caring that his hand was getting torn apart by teeth and claws.

"Sir-" Nicholas tried to interrupt, wide-eyed at the sudden accusation.

"It is your familiar!"

"He's not my-" Nicholas tried again but the other just barreled on.

"The damages that furball caused! Properly discip-"

"Headmaster, Crowley!" Riddle yelled catching both of their attention, this useless excuse of staff wasn't even listening to Mr. Boaln. "Let him speak!"The sudden shout had quieted not only Crowley but also Grim who know drooped like a wet noodle, defeated. Nicholas almost felt bad for him. Except the little snarky thing burnt his hand.

"He's not my familiar, sir. I never had one in the first place." Nicholas quickly explained. Thankful for Riddle's interference. 

"Eh? It's not yours?" Crowley repeated, perplex, as he looked down at Grim. "So its actual name is Grim and not furball?"Azul covered his mouth to hide a small amused laugh at Nicholas's unimpressed expression.

"No! I tried to tell you many times! You just made assumptions!" Nicholas exclaimed, watching Crowley's expression turned sheepish. 

"Y-you did?"Riddle rolled his eyes in annoyance, he wasn't surprised by airheadedness anymore. Crowley let out a cough to regain himself. 

"Anyway, let's get it out of the school at any rate." He looked down at Grim who's struggles had renewed. "We won't turn you into a stew, for I am gracious." 

"I'll take the charming creature." Azul volunteered, taking Grim from Crowley's grasp. Grim did not like the turn of events at all as he tried to launch himself out of the arms of the other.

"GYAAA! Let me go!" Grim wailed, feeling the arms holding him hostage constrict. 

"Oh, what a feisty little thing you are." Azul teased. "Mr Bolan."Nicholas straightened at being announced. 

"Uh, yeah?"

"Be sure to go to the infirmary to check on your hand," Azul suggested before turning to Riddle. "Help me take our guest off the premises, Riddle."

Riddle nodded. "Let's take this pest outside and make sure it never comes back."

"I'm going to, going to...." Grim mumbled into Azul's sleeve, claws digging into the fabric. "Become the greatest magician!"Azul just stroked Grim's head in response to the outcry. 

"Yes, yes." He sighed, as he and Riddle left the hallway.

___

"We had a bit of trouble along the way but this brings the entrance ceremony to a close," Crowley announced, looking relieved, as the ruckus inside the Dark Mirror room had finally calmed. "Dormitory heads, please show the new students back to the dormitories."Someone was missing in the crowd though. Someone tall with horns... "Hm? Now that I think about it, I don't see the leader for Diasmonia, Mr. Draconia, around at all..."

Diasmonia? Draconia?

"That's no different from usual, is it?" Leona said, indifferent to whether Malleus showed up or not.

"What?" Kalim asked surprised, tilting his head to look around, " Did nobody tell him about the ceremony?"

"If you're going to complain you should have done it yourself." Vil huffed, looking at his reflection with a small compact mirror.

"Hmmm." Kalim crossed his arms, pouting. "But I don't know anything about that guy."

Nicholas raised an eyebrow at the comment. Maybe if they actually invited the poor student then there would be something to know about. However, instead of curious chatter than Nicholas was expecting the whole room fell into one eerie hush.

"By Draconia..." A voice hesitantly piped up, "Do you mean 'that' Malleus Draconia?"

"is he seriously attending this school?" Another whispered in fear.

"Scary."

Okay, wow. Now Nicholas was starting to become skeptical of everyone's reaction. This Malleus Draconia person couldn't be that bad?

"I was correct." A voice beside Nicholas said, startling him. "I thought he might come but Malleus didn't. It means the invitation 'didn't arrive' again." The person was short and pink and black-streaked hair. They had a very young face like a child but the eyes, however, were shocking red with a black slit-like pupil. Ah, not human.

"My deepest apologizes," Azul told the strange vampire child with a regretful expression. "I promise we didn't mean to exclude him."

"His aura makes it hard to approach him," Riddle explained not looking sorry in the least.

"It's fine," Lilia said seeming to have been caught in the repeated situation, it was something he was used to. "Members of Diasmonia Dormitory come with me." He waved the students to follow. "I hope this doesn't upset him." He sighed, softly. 

It didn't take long for the rest of the students to leave the room with their respected dorms, it was just Nicholas and Crowley left. Maybe Crowley could help Nicholas with his hand then they could discuss what to do next. However, that didn't seem to be the top priority for the Headmaster.

"Then, Nicholas, I'm sorry about this but we must have you leave this school." He told the other. "Those without any talent for magic cannot be allowed to attend classes here."Nicholas suspected this would happen he couldn't stay since he didn't have magic. Plus the commotion Grim caused also didn't help the situation. He couldn't help but feel a glimmer of disappointment at the sentence though.

"But how will you send me back?" Nicholas asked, his socked feet shifting against the hard floor.

"There is no need to worry. The Dark Mirror will send you directly back from whence you came." Crowley moved Nicholas back to stand on the podium in front of the mirror. "Enter the Gate, and picture your home clearly in your mind."

Nicholas closed his eyes and did just that. His grandfather's house with his sister and twin teasing their cousin while his parents looked at them with fond exasperation. The smell of old cigars and musty books and the feeling of warmth and adventure. He was ready to wake up and get out of the wardrobe to head back downstairs and joke about the magical wardrobe that can transport people to Hogwarts.

"Oh Dark Mirror!" Crowley spoke, making Nicholas's eyebrows twitch at the volume. "Guide this one back to the place where they belong!"The mask didn't respond to Crowley's loud request. Nicholas opened an eyelid a sense of overlooking doom weighed him down suddenly. Crowley squeezed Nicholas's shoulders trying to shake off the tension, he let out a nervous laugh.

"Once more." He suggested trying to reassure himself more than Nicholas. "Oh Dark Mirror! Guide this-"

"It is nowhere." The Dark Mirror interrupted.

"Eh?"

"The place they belong to is nowhere in this world." The Dark Mirror stated explaining it more clearly to Crowley. "It does not exist."

Ah, fuck, of course, it doesn't.

"What did you say?" Crowley asked, taking his hands off of Nicholas's shoulders in disbelief. "That is unbelievable! Hmm, well, the unbelievable has been on parade today." He muttered looking at his own hands and Nicholas.

The Dark Mirror just made a face at him."This is the first time it's ever happened since I became headmaster, what should be..." He trailed off. 

Nicholas was internally going into a downward spiral. He couldn't go home to his family and he was stuck at a magic college with a raccoon that wants to kill him, a headmaster that was sketchy and useless as a stump. He patted down his ceremony uniform: No wallet or phone!

"Where exactly did you come from?" Crowley suddenly demanded, popping right in front of Nicholas's face.

"Canada." Nicholas blurted taking a step back. What was it with everyone invading his space?

Crowley just seemed to frown even deeper at the answer. "I've never heard of that place. I have a general grasp of where all the students came from but I've never heard of that place before."Nicholas felt like he was losing his mind. 

"So what? Are you suggesting I'm from another world? That I'm an alien?"

Crowley just stared at him for a few moments, unblinking. "Let's go to the library for some research first."

Nicholas was going to sock that stupid idiotic excuse of an adult in the face. 

___

The end of the Entrance Ceremony had been interesting and concerning in Lilia's opinion. Malleus hadn't shown up to attend the ceremony and greet the new first years in Diasomnia, which meant he hadn't been properly invited, again. Lilia would have to reassure Malleus again that they didn't forget him on purpose. He looked quite pleased when the ceremony robes showed up. All the robes had arrived, but there was a kerfuffle about who's belong to who. The labeling was incorrect.

Thankfully all of that got sorted out by trying on each one to see what fitted properly. However, that seemed to be not the last peculiar thing when the headmaster had rush out of the ceremony hall only to bring back a lost student, a student that the Dark Mirror announced that the boy had no place among any of the dorms. The child of man looked confused, anxious, and frightened at these claims and Dire Crowley's response to the situation. He opened the Diasomia doors to enter the Diasmonia dormitory.

"We're home~ I have quite the story to tell you about tonight, Malleus."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading to the end of this chapter! Your Kudos have been very helpful in helping me move right along with the story. My brain is partially melted by how much writing and editing I had to do for this chapter. My goal is to update on Fridays for my writing schedule, wish me luck because it won't last long.  
> My writing program kept on correcting names and the Dorms even though I wrote it correctly! Trying to publish this on time made me stressed out of my mind.  
> If you spot a spelling mistake or find a spot difficult to read let me know so I don't make mistakes like that in the future. If you like this chapter give me a comment about what you enjoyed about it and what you hope to expect for future chapters!  
> Theories, queries, and comments! Stay Hydrated and eat well!


	3. Welcome to the party, you're about to die.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The problems keep on stacking.

"There isn't anything," Crowley said, placing another geography book on top of the leaning tower of rejected paperbacks that also held no fruit of where Nicholas came from. It was a mystery that intrigued him greatly. Other worlds exist if what Nicholas was saying was true then there was a whole additional dimension of history and possibilities of new learning techniques that he never knew about. "Not only the world map, but they do not write the name of your home in any history books collected from over the years. Are you truly from where you say? You aren't lying to me by chance?" He asked, scrutinizing Nicholas under his gaze. 

Nicholas just sighed, rolling out an older map that was fraying and crumbling at the edges. "Okay, so the map here," Nicholas said, pointing at a world map that originally got buried underneath layers of fresher discoveries from over the years. "Has some similar shapes of the countries from my world. Except it's missing most of Europe and all of Russia."

Crowley let out a hum. "Looking at all this, you may have been from brought here from another planet."

"see," Nicholas waved both hands in the air before gesturing to himself. "Alien, another world with zero magic and flame-throwing creatures." 

Crowley only chuckled slightly, amused by Nicholas's shenanigans. "I see, you mentioned that before." His expression turned slightly more serious as he laid a hand on Nicholas's shoulder firmly. "What did you have on you when you came here? Do you have any identification, license, name on a shoe? You appear to be empty-handed."

Ah. Nicholas froze before shaking his head. "No sir, I got whisked away without any of the belongings that I had on me originally." He felt strange without the extra weight in his pockets.

Crowley frowned, the child in front of him had only the ceremony clothes on him minus the shoes that he threw at that troublesome raccoon. "This is concerning. I can't have someone who can't use magic stay at the school." He watched as Nicholas stiffened in front of him, Crowley raised a hand to let make him pause. "However, as an educator, I can't just toss someone penniless and have nowhere to go out on the streets with no communication or a guardian. I am very gracious."

Nicholas sighed rolling his eyes behind closed lids but he did sag in relief that he wasn't going to be thrown out with just the clothes on his back. "Yes, you are very gracious." He played along trying to butter Crowley up. "So what's the plan if I'm not getting kicked out?"

Crowley smiled, delighted by Nicholas's words. "There is an unused building on campus. It was once as a dormitory in the past so if you clean it up you should be able to sleep there. I will temporarily allow you to stay there until a better solution comes up!" He looked proud of himself as he beamed at Nicholas with pride in his own words. "Then I will look for a way to help you return home!"

Nicholas stared at him before nodding slowly. "That would help a lot actually. Truly your graciousness has no limit. A true model for all educators."

Crowley looked ready to combust as the smile reached from ear to ear. It looked kinda painful. "I'm so glad you agree!" he said cheerfully, getting up from the chair. "We had better be on our way. Let's head to the dormitory. It may be a bit old but there is a certain charm to it."

Old? Nicholas was instantly suspicious. Just how old? Creaky floors due to age or holes in the ceiling because he was about to be duped kind of old. He frowned staring at the side of Crowley's face as he kept on chattering.

But he didn't have his shoes...

___

He was duped!

Nicholas and Crowley were standing outside of the dorm if he could even call it that! It looked like it had been abandoned for years! The gate was crooked and couldn't close properly causing a small screeching sound whenever the wind blew by, the grass was unkempt and overgrown.

Nicholas wiped the dust away from the plaque with his uninjured hand. He really needed to go to the infirmary or find a hospital to help the burn. 

Ramshackle dorm. It definitely lived up to its name.

"That's," Nicholas began feeling his snarky attitude rise to give Crowley a piece of his mind. That however didn't last very long when Crowley was staring at him expectantly. Nicholas swallowed back some of his bitterness and gritted out. "Too much charm." His toes curled as another gust of wind blew through the area. Nicholas really needed to find new shoes.

"Right, right," Crowley agreed happily, leading Nicholas up the stairs by the elbow. "Please come inside."

The inside was worse than the outside Nicholas decided when Crowley pushed open the door to reveal the interior of the dormitory. Everything was covered in dust, spiderwebs had made homes in corners, and floorboards were lifting.

"Please tell me you have insurance," Nicholas begged, looking at Crowley in horror, this wasn't a small clean up. The whole dorm had to be renovated! This felt like an episode of House Hunters but he didn't have an option of house two or three! There were holes in the ceiling!

Crowley just tilted his head to the side confused. "What is insurance?"

It got worse!

Crowley just patted Nicholas's shoulder lightly not looking bothered by Nicholas's expression at all. "Staying here will at least keep you out of the rain." 

Nicholas was two seconds away from throttling him. Did he not see the large gaps in the roof?! Graciousness, who? Don't know her!

"I'm going back to do more research. Make yourself at home." Crowley motioned to the decomposing room with a hand. "Don't go wandering around the school! Goodbye!" He waved exiting the dormitory as Nicholas sputtered in indignation. 

"Sir!" Nicholas yelled after him from the front door watching as Crowley's silhouette disappeared into the night. "You have to be kidding me." He hissed to himself, he didn't even have any cleaning equipment. Maybe there could be something in the closets or cupboards that were not covered in mold?

That question didn't last very long when water started to drip from the ceiling from slow trickles to streaming downpour. "Seriously!?" He yelled, yanking open random cupboards to look for tape, extra wood, or buckets to stop the rain coming into the dorm.

___

"There," Nicholas sighed, placing the last bucket underneath the leaking hole in the roof. "That should be the last of it." He was lucky enough to find it underneath the kitchen sink despite the fact that it was made home to small creepy crawlies.

"Hyiiii! It's really coming down!" A voice cried, a thump echoed in the hallway. Nicholas felt a headache coming on. If that was who he thought it was he was going to smack the little shit himself!

"Gyahahaha!" Grim laughed at Nicholas's expression. "You've got this stupid look on your face like a spider being attacked by a water gun!"

"Why are you here!" Nicholas snapped, having no patience to entertain the troublemaker. "I thought you got thrown out by Azul and Riddle." It was hard to not notice the large collar missing from Grim's neck.

Grim crossed his front paws defiantly over his chest. "Hmph! Do you think a couple of weaklings would stop the great Grim? I just need to lie low to hide from the rain so that I can break into the school!" His grin grew wide, showing off sharp teeth. "Since your here I'll have no trouble sneaking back into the school." The slit eyes gazed up and down at Nicholas's robes. "Come on, come on." His paws reached out with grabby hand motions.

"Back off you pest! Just give up already your not getting the uniform!" Nicholas stated, gripping the edges of his sleeves defensively.

"If you think getting thrown out is gonna make me give up on getting in you've got another thing coming!" Grim crowed, pride, and arrogance on full display.

Was that a vine reference?

"Why do you want to get into this school so badly anyway?" Nicholas found himself asking. It seemed like a lot of trouble to wait in a room full of coffins to snatch a uniform and try to burn it down in the process.

Grim paused seeming surprised by such a question. "That's simple! I'm a genius who is destined to be a great magician!" He announced with childish glee. "I've been waiting for the Ebony Carriage to come to pick me up. But...But..." Grim trailed off sadly his ears drooping.

Oh. Nicholas instantly connected the dots, he felt a twinge of sympathy but mostly of understanding the situation in a way. The school must've had restrictions to magical creatures wanting to attend the college and expectations of the students.

Education was difficult for himself and his siblings in high school where children were cruel at poking at insecurities and preying on those fears. Especially with Lillian suffering from dysphoria and being deadnamed and Mari having difficulty with pronouns and feeling awkward in their clothes. 

"Hmmph." Grim sighed, sitting on the edge of the buckets, his face neutral as he stared at Nicholas. "The Dark Mirror just doesn't have an eye for this." The expression instantly bounced back to the prideful and cocky demeanor. "So that's why I came here on my own. Not letting me in would be a loss for the world, humans just don't get it."

A drop of rain from the roof dripped onto Grim's head causing the flames to falter slightly.

"Nyaa! So cold! The roof is leaking!" A sudden gush of water spilled out and onto the creature's head. "Fgyaaa! It keeps coming! My adorable ear fire is gonna go out at this rate!"

Nicholas snorted amused. Full of bustling ideas but had a head full of lint. "Then get off of the bucket oh wise one."

"HA?!" Grim gasped, offended. "Excuse you! Magic could fix this leak up real quick!" 

"Sorry to burst your bubble but I can't use magic, I don't know how," Nicholas said, placing a hand on his hip.

"Wha, you can't use magic? Pfft! You're useless!" Grim taunted, floating around the room in a semi-circle.

Great, the attitude and sass were back. "Then you do it."

"Wha?" Grim paused his lazy meandering. "No way! I'm just a regular monster staying for cover away from the rain. You better get a can of tuna ready before I do any work."

Nicholas could feel all the patience he tried to recover dissolve in an instant. He was going to reach for that stupid bow and toss Grim out the window. Instead, he just turned around and stalked down the hallway to blow off some steam as the menace just cackled behind him.

___

The rest of the Ramshackle dorm was a bit of a let down in Nicholas's opinion. Here he was in a magic world and he was stuck in a run-down building that had dust, cobwebs, bits of crumbled plaster, and a few bugs crawling around. To his amazement, however, the plumbing still worked which brought some hope that the power probably was effective as well.

Nicholas didn't allow that feeling to linger for too long because there was some water that still had spilled onto the floor and if there was an exposed wire then that could lead to disastrous results. The floor had some splinters and the railing that went upstairs was falling apart.

Nicholas's criticism was halted by a sudden thumping sound that shook the walls of the dorm. One of the picture frames that was clinging to dear life lacked to the floor, broken glass spilled out everywhere.

"Oh for fu- what now! Grim, I swear to whatever tuna god you worship I'm gonna-!" He cut his rant short as he was nose to nose with a pale floating figure that didn't have legs it only ended in a swirl beneath it and there were three of them staring mischievously at Nicholas.

"Boo."

"AHHHHHHHH!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3!  
> I was procrastinating a lot while trying to get this chapter ready. It's not my favorite and I sort of left it off where I didn't want it to end but I came to deliver!  
> Thank you for your support!  
> Eat well, stay hydrated!


	4. I choose you! Grima-chu!

He should have known that ghosts existed, especially in a sketchy old abandoned dorm in a world where magic was real and pyromaniac cats could talk back. Nicholas was not ready to throw hands at supernatural entities, especially three of them. Flame throwing cats, yes. Ghosts, hell no. 

"We haven't had a guest in so long..." One ghost sighed wistfully, its expression glazed over with nostalgia, resting a bony hand on its sunken cheek. 

"I'm itching for some action." The rather stout one grin mischievously watching Nicholas take steps back away from them.

"Go away," Nicholas demanded, trying to not show the sudden rush of fear flooding through him, making shooing motions with his hands. "go on." The ghosts, however, didn't look deterred in the least.

"Aiyah." Grim's voice complained right behind Nicholas, causing him to jolt, startled. Why did that racoon have to show up now?! "What are you screaming about..." Grim's eyes scanned over Nicholas to the ghosts to Nicholas again before doing a double-take, face pale with shock. "GYAHHHH, g-g-g-GHOSSSTS!" He cried, darting for protection behind Nicholas's shoulder. 

"The people living here got scared of us and left." The smallest ghost said, not seeming all that bothered by that fact. It seemed proud of that achievement. Was that something to be proud about? 

"We've been looking for more ghost pals. How about you guys?" The more round ghost asked, leering at Nicholas and Grim. It sounded more of a statement than a question which was worse. Nicholas could feel Grim clinging tightly to the back of his robe shaking with fear.

"Run away!" Nicholas cried, dashing in the other direction. Grim screeched at the sudden movment, scrambling to keep his grip on Nicholas's back. 

"Grim the Great Magician isn't scared of some ghosts!" He screamed, trying to sound brave despite his voice cracking. He let out a shrill cry jumping off Nicholas's back, paws outstretched ablazed.

He missed his target however and set the floor behind the ghosts up in flames despite it being damp. Maybe because it was magic that it was easier for it to burn but other than that Nicholas had no idea.

"Where were you aiming?" The skeletal ghost leered looking amused despite not having any eyebrows. 

"Grim." Nicholas called, trying to grab the feral creatures attention. Grim however was being less afraid and more reckless by the ghosts taunts.

"Over here, over here, hehehe!" The more robust spirit laughed as Grim threw fire after fire blindly.

"Shoot! Stop dissapearing!" Grim yowled, irritated, tail lashing in frusteration.

"GRIM!" Nicholas yelled, startling the cat, who whirled around with wide eyes. "You'll burn the place down at this rate!"

"Shut up, human!" Grim snapped at him, blowing fire out of his mouth towards the smallest ghost who was making ridiculous faces to stoke Grim's ire. "I don't take orders!"

"AGH. I don't have time for this." Nicholas muttered, he needed to distract Grim before the whole dorm got burned down. "I'll give you a can of tuna!" He tried to bribe, Nicholas didn't have his wallet on him and he doubted that his currency wouldn't even work in this world.

The bribe seemed to work. Grim immediately stopped huffing and stared at Nicholas in awe. "Wah?!" Grims eyes narrowed quickly seeming to be at war with himself. "I-I'm a genius. I won't let one-"

"Two cans!" Nicholas yelled letting out a squak as the small ghost poofed right behind Nicholas and shoved him towards Grim.

Laughter echoed the around them as all three ghosts surrounded them hands outstretched in grabby hand movements.

"Bunch of cowards gaining up on us!"

"Oh now its 'us'." Nicholas grumbled "For a limited time you can get two cans of tuna from yours truly." He said to again to Grim trying to urge on the deal.

"Hey!" Grim yelled, pointing at the spots where the ghosts had suddenly vanished. "Tell me where the ghosts are!"

Looks like they had a deal.

"On your left!"Nicholas yelled, pointing at where the robust ghost had suddenly appeared.

"Let me here you say AH."Grim yelled, blasting the ghost with a fireball to the face.

"AH! Hot HOT!" The ghost cried, fading quickly from Grims trajectory with its hands covering it's face.

"North!" Nicholas called, again seeing a white sheet of movement out of the corner of his eye. "South!"

"I hit it!" Grim crowed, looking more triumphant than before. "Alright, lets chase them all outta here!"

"Yeah!" Nicholas yelled, feeling excitement bubble in his chest. Or maybe it was vomit, he didn't care what the feeling was, he hadn't felt that feeling since he was small.

**Author's Note:**

> If you made it to the end, thank you for reading chapter one of Thru The Mirror! I fell into this story and have been inspired by so many fan writers in this fandom! (Our precious Treasure by Wendy_Parker and Once Upon a Dream By AvionVadion)  
> I am bullying Grim in this chapter and the next but I hope it was funny! I hope my writing doesn't appear rushed or weak in some spots. It's been a while.  
> I tried to add my detail to what I thought Grim would look like if MC saw him for the first time before they both got enrolled as full-fledged students. Also some backstory for my dear OC (Nicholas) and his family!  
> The intro is a bit different from the original prologue but I hope it was different and something everyone enjoyed. If you did then let me know! Comments give me life as well as enjoyment knowing others felt the same. Give me your questions, queries, and theories as well as ideas for future chapters!  
> If you see a spelling mistake or have constructive criticism please tell me. These things help push writers forward as well as encourage us to create more for those who enjoy it.


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